The final word on DPR, feats and class balance

[FlyingChihuahua]

1) Remove Agonizing Blast. Any other feature that gives +stat mod to cantrips (like Dragon Sorcerers) is modified to not do that, 1st level spells +only. Remove Booming Blade/Greenflame Blade. Cantrip damage scales with class level, not character level. Casters should fall back on at-will damage as a last resort. If the Elf Wizard does better damage with their long bow than with Fire Bolt, that's awesome.

2) Remove any feat that favors using one weapon type or style over another. (Polearm Master, Sharpshooter, Crossbow Expert, Great Weapon Master, Dual Wielder.) Martials should be versatile. If you want a fighter that's a master of one weapon, roleplay him that way. (Weapon Specialization has been problematic since BECMI).

3) Give fighters, paladins, and rangers access to every fighting style at level 1 or 2, respectively. Makes them versatile, and gives them a baseline superiority in weapon attacks to non-warriors. Give Barbarians Dueling, Dual Wielding, and Great Weapon Fighter fighting styles at level 2. Give champion fighters something at level 10 to compensate. Everyone will want to dip Fighter 1, but considering Fighters are the Honda Civic of D&D, I don't see that as a problem.

There. Damage scaled down to a better baseline, and martials exceed casters easily in baseline capability. Make some new feats and spells, and maybe some new magic items, to balance to taste.

That sounds great.

In fact, why spellcasters get special toys that the martials don't? Martials should have equal access to spell-like abilities the equate to anything that a spell can do. In fact, let's go even farther for balance. Everything now does the same amount of damage. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

 

[TwoSix]

That sounds great.

In fact, why spellcasters get special toys that the martials don't? Martials should have equal access to spell-like abilities the equate to anything that a spell can do. In fact, let's go even farther for balance. Everything now does the same amount of damage. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

I feel like you're slightly exaggerating here. It's a slight nerf overall to everyone's at-will damage in the name of opening up more concepts.

 

[Caliban]

1) Remove Agonizing Blast. Any other feature that gives +stat mod to cantrips (like Dragon Sorcerers) is modified to not do that, 1st level spells +only. Remove Booming Blade/Greenflame Blade. Cantrip damage scales with class level, not character level. Casters should fall back on at-will damage as a last resort. If the Elf Wizard does better damage with their long bow than with Fire Bolt, that's awesome.

Ugh, no thanks.

2) Remove any feat that favors using one weapon type or style over another. (Polearm Master, Sharpshooter, Crossbow Expert, Great Weapon Master, Dual Wielder.) Martials should be versatile. If you want a fighter that's a master of one weapon, roleplay him that way. (Weapon Specialization has been problematic since BECMI).

Ugh, no thanks.

3) Give fighters, paladins, and rangers access to every fighting style at level 1 or 2, respectively. Makes them versatile, and gives them a baseline superiority in weapon attacks to non-warriors. Give Barbarians Dueling, Dual Wielding, and Great Weapon Fighter fighting styles at level 2. Give champion fighters something at level 10 to compensate. Everyone will want to dip Fighter 1, but considering Fighters are the Honda Civic of D&D, I don't see that as a problem.

There. Damage scaled down to a better baseline, and martials exceed casters easily in baseline capability. Make some new feats and spells, and maybe some new magic items, to balance to taste.

Appreciate the effort, but no thank you. That just makes everyone generically competent at the same things with no real differentiation other than "martial" or "magic".

Blegh.

 

[TwoSix]

Appreciate the effort, but no thank you. That just makes everyone generically competent at the same things with no real differentiation other than "martial" or "magic".
Blegh.

I find your "blegh" rather unconvincing.

Edit: To expand further, my simple conceit is that weapon choice should be a tactical consideration, not a character build one. A fighter should feel comfortable switching from a bow, to drawing a greatsword, and then switching to a pair of handaxes in a battle.

And dampening magical at-will damage contrasts them more strongly with martials, it doesn't homogenize them. It helps to emphasize at-wills with control or debuff elements, rather than raw damage.

 

[Satyrn]

I find your "blegh" rather unconvincing.

What about "ugh" - should I use that next time I want to convince you its your turn to oty- . . . danggit, I don't know where I'm actually going with this joke.

So, uh . . .

 

[5ekyu]

I find it interesting that in spite of all the final words on critcal flaws and how bad the game is that so many people run canpaign session after campaign session werk after week.

Its alnost like some of them dont get upset over stiff and just play without worrying if adding a few extra bad guys at level this or level that is against somrone elses idea of an ideal game?

I bet there are even games run out there where gms dont use the cr calculator sustem at all and just throw together adversaries drawn from the campaign logic and their experience with their group.

 

[Caliban]

I find your "blegh" rather unconvincing.

Edit: To expand further, my simple conceit is that weapon choice should be a tactical consideration, not a character build one. A fighter should feel comfortable switching from a bow, to drawing a greatsword, and then switching to a pair of handaxes in a battle.

And dampening magical at-will damage contrasts them more strongly with martials, it doesn't homogenize them. It helps to emphasize at-wills with control or debuff elements, rather than raw damage.

I find your arguments unconvincing. Just because you say it, doesn't make it true. I honestly found every one of your suggestions unappealing. So to sum up...."blegh".

 

[bedir than]

Not only should everyone do the same damage in a round, everyone should be able to do it at the same range, to the same area of effect while being the same race with the same stats with the same class. That way things are perfectly balanced.

 

[ccs]

[MENTION=12731]CapnZapp[/MENTION], check your calendar. You're either a bit late or a lot early for April Fools.

 

[TwoSix]

I find your arguments unconvincing. Just because you say it, doesn't make it true. I honestly found every one of your suggestions unappealing. So to sum up...."blegh".

That's fine. I stated my aesthetic considerations, and a possible way to achieve them. If you have other considerations you find more appealing, that's entirely your prerogative.